


The Ship That Cried

by Not_You



Category: Watchmen (Comic), Watchmen - All Media Types
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Other, Robot Feels, This is weird, owlcar, owlship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-05
Updated: 2017-04-05
Packaged: 2018-10-15 02:55:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10548858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Not_You/pseuds/Not_You
Summary: When the Owlcar crashes, Dan isn't too worried about it.  At first.





	

No one is particularly troubled when he totals the Owlcar. Rorschach never liked it, and even Dan has to admit that the most efficient way to navigate a city is by air. He hauls it back to the Nest to keep it from revealing any secrets, and sort of forgets about it. Then he starts to hear crying when there's no one else in the Nest. It's a haunting sound, low and soft and full of unbearable sorrow. He hunts frantically for the source, and can never find anything. It goes on for night after night until he's sure he's nuts or the place is haunted. Nite Owl doesn't patrol, he's too busy hunting ghosts, so Rorschach finally gets worried enough to come over.

"Daniel."

"Sssshhh. Listen." They're both quiet, and there it is again, that terrible sound, like a lost child. "You have to help me find it, buddy." Dan's eye twitches, and Rorschach nods. He's the one who eventually goes over to Archie and sees the tiny oil leak, viscous fluid dripping like tears. "Holy shit." Dan breathes, and suddenly runs off, coming back with a a few tools and a two-way radio. Rorschach serves as O.R. nurse as he patches it into Archie. "Hopefully this works. Archie?"

Confused gobbledygook comes out of the speaker, then a burst of static, then a voice. "Did I awaken only to sorrow?"

Rorschach yelps and jerks back, and Dan stares. "I don't know, Archie." He says evenly, sanity elastic after so many nights spent searching for a phantom voice. "What's wrong?"

The simple question brings a wail of anguish, finally resolving itself into, "Why? Why didn't you fix my counterpart?"

"...Uh, I didn't realize you were sentient. You two were friends?"

Another sob. "More than friends."

"...Okay." Dan sighs, his hands in his hair. "I'm sorry, Archie. I don't know if I can fix it, but I'll see what I can do."

In the end, the body is irreparable, just like he knew it would be. But the motherboard is fine, and soon he has it free and in communication with Archie. "...Beloved?" The ship asks, so softly and unselfconsciously that tears spring into Dan's eyes.

Another voice comes through the radio, this one sounding more excitable and somehow younger than Archie. "Archie! This must mean I'm not scrapped!"

"...You are scrapped, beloved, but the important parts are left."

"I miss having wheels already."

"This is the weirdest fucking thing that has ever happened to me." Dan says softly. Rorschach nods, and squeezes his shoulder in support.

"Thank you so much." Archie says softly, sounding like he's going to cry again.

"Don't sweat it." Dan yawns, exhausted. "Look, I have to collapse for maintainence, but I'll see about building another body for the Owlcar. ...Who really ought to have a name, considering."

"I like Jerry!" It chirps.

"Fine. G'night, Archie and Jerry." He stumbles upstairs with his partner in tow. "Jesus."

"Yes." He stands there with his hands in the pockets of his rumpled coat. "Have not only managed to build a sentient ship, but a homosexual one. Never cease to amaze, Daniel."


End file.
